Oct 22, 2018, 3:44 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
GS Qualifying for 2019 Discussion
This will be a discussion thread, for discussing the needed qualifications and timing of notification.
For posing formal notifications (but no discussion), use this thread Global Services 2019 Notifications (ONLY)
2019 GS Timeline
First requal notifications came out on 6 Dec 2018
First-time notifications started about 3 Jan 2019
Numerous reports that all regular notifications will be out by 11 Jan 2019
Initial successful reconsideration appeals reported 15 Jan 2019
First reports of challanges15 Jan 2019
For discussion of GS benefits, please use Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions 2018First-time notifications started about 3 Jan 2019
Numerous reports that all regular notifications will be out by 11 Jan 2019
Initial successful reconsideration appeals reported 15 Jan 2019
First reports of challanges15 Jan 2019
For 2017 qualifications, see the 2017 thread and for 2018, see the 2018 thread
To find your PQDs if >than $12K
Go to
MileagePlus activity since my last statement and it is in the "Account summary" table at the top of the page.
Note this is not just the UA operated PQDs (which is commonly believed to be what matters for GS) but rather your total PQDs.
Definitions
BIS is actual scheduled flight distance (Great Circle Mileage Distance -- GCM) between airports with 500 mile minimum for elites. This is the standard used for Lifetime miles also. Those flying mostly sub-500 segments sometimes prefer to not use the minimum rule.
The definition for CPM is a bit vaguer, especially since CPM is used in multiple different situations.
Believe for the purpose of this thread, GS qualification, folks are using
PQD CPM = UA PQDs / UA BIS
Note there is no direct evidence UA uses this CPM number for GS Qualification but it is a number FTers like to use.
As for BIS, UA does not report this number your account and it needs to be manually tracked.
One way is to make use that PQMs are based on BIS but there may be a multiplier / bonus for high end fares. If always in 2x PQMs, you could divide by 2 to get BIS.
rwsteelers had a good method for determining UA BIS -- the change in Lifetime Miles from the first of the year.
Hello:
To help with collection of qualification metrics for global services, I created a Google Doc. This will be useful for future members. For ease of use, I created a form which feeds into a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet and form does not require a google account and is free to use.
Similar spreadsheets were created in years past, so I'm hoping to continue this tradition. Please take the time to enter your stats into the spreadsheet. Many thanks
LINK to entry form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1SYm...xRKZ_EUD8/edit
View responses here ( read only ):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing
To help with collection of qualification metrics for global services, I created a Google Doc. This will be useful for future members. For ease of use, I created a form which feeds into a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet and form does not require a google account and is free to use.
Similar spreadsheets were created in years past, so I'm hoping to continue this tradition. Please take the time to enter your stats into the spreadsheet. Many thanks
LINK to entry form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1SYm...xRKZ_EUD8/edit
View responses here ( read only ):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing
GS Qualifying for 2019 Discussion / Questions
Jan 11, 2019, 12:18 pm
#691
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
Programs: UA Global Services 3.2 MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 2,506
Did you appeal? This seems odd.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 14, 2019 at 8:49 pm Reason: updated Quote
Jan 11, 2019, 12:39 pm
#692
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,621
Even though my spend was up over last year, I got booted down to 1K. For 2018, I had the following:
175K PQM $48k PQD. Out of DEN. Since a lot of my flights are to DXB, I always have to take either Luf or Swz for the FRA to DXB leg.
Is it worthwhile to submit a reconsideration request?
175K PQM $48k PQD. Out of DEN. Since a lot of my flights are to DXB, I always have to take either Luf or Swz for the FRA to DXB leg.
Is it worthwhile to submit a reconsideration request?
Jan 11, 2019, 1:30 pm
#694
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Somewhere in EWR
Programs: UA GS, HH Diamond
Posts: 858
Jan 11, 2019, 1:34 pm
#695
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: MileagePlus
Posts: 3
I did not qualify after remarkable stats..pretty heartbroken I get to appeal to the United "judge".
231k PQMs (United Metal Intl with 95% of booking in Polaris Domestic/Intl)
61k PQD
87 PQS
If you are close with the airline or can nudge a 21 year old flying 400k miles in 2019, a team of 9 exclusively flying United and realistically make that an easier travel experience without going to JetSuiteX, please continue the Holiday season and PM me.
Update: I called the 1K desk and they appealed me. I'll know by the 15th with an email. If I'm still not accepted, there's a 2nd round of appeals where I proudly get to say I'm a large social media influencer (100m YouTube views monthly with over 4 billion views/20 million subscribers produced since my company's existence). If that doesn't work, I don't know what to do and they said my only large flight of 2018 ($13k in partner PQMs via Lufthansa - couldn't force client to book anything else, I always try to have them follow the United regime but travel agencies you know?) was a possible deterrent, however Dawn (United 1K Team Services) said things are looking good.
231k PQMs (United Metal Intl with 95% of booking in Polaris Domestic/Intl)
61k PQD
87 PQS
If you are close with the airline or can nudge a 21 year old flying 400k miles in 2019, a team of 9 exclusively flying United and realistically make that an easier travel experience without going to JetSuiteX, please continue the Holiday season and PM me.
Update: I called the 1K desk and they appealed me. I'll know by the 15th with an email. If I'm still not accepted, there's a 2nd round of appeals where I proudly get to say I'm a large social media influencer (100m YouTube views monthly with over 4 billion views/20 million subscribers produced since my company's existence). If that doesn't work, I don't know what to do and they said my only large flight of 2018 ($13k in partner PQMs via Lufthansa - couldn't force client to book anything else, I always try to have them follow the United regime but travel agencies you know?) was a possible deterrent, however Dawn (United 1K Team Services) said things are looking good.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 11, 2019 at 6:21 pm Reason: merged update / consecutive posts by same member
Jan 11, 2019, 1:49 pm
#696
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: MileagePlus
Posts: 3
I had them tell me I was in reconsideration as per today for a Jan 15th decision. Give them a call back and best of luck in the skies
Jan 11, 2019, 7:49 pm
#697
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Rowley, MA / Edgartown, MA / Christiansted, St. Croix (USVI)
Programs: UA LT GS/4.96MM, Marriott LT Titanium, IHG Platinum, Global Entry, TSA Pre✓, Korea SeS, APEC
Posts: 579
After 15 years as GS, did not re-qualify this year. Did not expect to as I wound down the second half of the year and then I retired in October. About 700,000 short of 4 million, so that won't happen. At least I will have 1K for my leisure trips. It will be another new experience as I move through my retirement. All in all, my experience as GS was lovely, particularly wrt IRROPS. Yes there were changes to the program over the years, and yes there was some variation from person to person, but it was nothing but good.
Jan 11, 2019, 8:49 pm
#698
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: BDL/NYC/BOS
Programs: UA/*A Gold, Global Entry, Marriott Plat, Hilton+IHG Gold, Hertz PC, DL
Posts: 1,752
i'm half watching the lakers-jazz game right now on ESPN (national broadcast), and i swear i hear van gundy talk about GS. i rewind, and indeed he was. his rant is as follows (1st, 2:30):
ETA: i found a clip posted to twitter. no idea if twitter video embeds properly, but here's the tweet:
jeff van gundy: but i want to get back to your travels. because my travels - today at 2:29 - i got an email that i no longer was global services with united. they cut me off at the knees! they... it's absolutely ruined my life.
dave pasch: you're putting all your business out there, you know.
JVG: no no, but listen: so i made a call, and my - i was thinking about trading one of my two daughters for global services. like, you know what i'm sayin'? like they said, "well, what would you give up?" and i'm like "well, you can take one of my two daughters" i'm like... oh my goodness, i cannot believe this!
DP: is this all because i made you wait until like 2 o'clock to eat lunch? ... is this what this is all about?
JVG: no, listen. you don't know - now, i have to board with the likes of - from our crew - ryan, and nathan, and ross. like, i should be getting on ahead of them. now i have to board with them. it's a travesty!
DP: your seat, though, may be different though.... i think everyone in america feels really badly for you, jeff.
JVG: as they should. as they should.
dave pasch: you're putting all your business out there, you know.
JVG: no no, but listen: so i made a call, and my - i was thinking about trading one of my two daughters for global services. like, you know what i'm sayin'? like they said, "well, what would you give up?" and i'm like "well, you can take one of my two daughters" i'm like... oh my goodness, i cannot believe this!
DP: is this all because i made you wait until like 2 o'clock to eat lunch? ... is this what this is all about?
JVG: no, listen. you don't know - now, i have to board with the likes of - from our crew - ryan, and nathan, and ross. like, i should be getting on ahead of them. now i have to board with them. it's a travesty!
DP: your seat, though, may be different though.... i think everyone in america feels really badly for you, jeff.
JVG: as they should. as they should.
ETA: i found a clip posted to twitter. no idea if twitter video embeds properly, but here's the tweet:
Last edited by riphamilton; Jan 11, 2019 at 8:56 pm
Jan 11, 2019, 9:24 pm
#699
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 169
Notified today that I didn't make it this year, after several years as GS. SFO based, PQM of 270 (UA BIS 207), and PQD of $59k (UA BIS $43k), nearly identical to last year, and the year before. Already a million miler, on the way to 2.
I'll be honest, it's disappointing. That said, it's somewhat liberating. I'll probably have 1k status for 2019 by April or May, after which I'll more or less stop flying United. I'm on the brink of a million miles on a competing airline also, so I'll be shifting roughly half to 2/3rds of my flying away from United this year, and likely next. I'll lock in lifetime status on a competitor, and will worry a lot less about flying outside of UA metal on ANA, EVA, LH, and others in the Star Alliance. If I'm no longer a big deal on United, I'll focus on being a "moderately big deal" on a larger number of airlines.
I'll be honest, it's disappointing. That said, it's somewhat liberating. I'll probably have 1k status for 2019 by April or May, after which I'll more or less stop flying United. I'm on the brink of a million miles on a competing airline also, so I'll be shifting roughly half to 2/3rds of my flying away from United this year, and likely next. I'll lock in lifetime status on a competitor, and will worry a lot less about flying outside of UA metal on ANA, EVA, LH, and others in the Star Alliance. If I'm no longer a big deal on United, I'll focus on being a "moderately big deal" on a larger number of airlines.
Jan 11, 2019, 11:10 pm
#700
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: united
Posts: 1
How do you find out if a challenge is available?
Shocked that I didn't get GS!
Jan 12, 2019, 6:11 am
#701
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
Just curious... did you have the choice to fly UA on flights you chose *A carriers? If so, I would recommend shifting that business to UA metal. If you could have shifted even $5K of those PQD, you may have made it. I had a similar year in 2014 to you where I landed on around $43K PQD on UA metal with several thousand dollars spend on LH and TK, and I also didn't make it. If I would be in your shoes and had the option to fly more UA metal in exchange for making GS, I would do it, but that's just me.
Jan 12, 2019, 6:20 am
#702
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 169
My other *A business this year was limited to places UA just doesn’t go; two trips to Africa for example this year, and could only take UA as far as FRA. Did my best to fly UA metal every opp, but I go where the work takes me.
Jan 12, 2019, 6:45 am
#703
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 19
Also note that 1K -> GS qualification notifications will start going out later this week. This usually starts around Jan 5, and continues through the middle of the month.
$42K is somewhat low, but if you dont hear anything in a week, you can file an appeal and have a second set of eyes put on your stats.
$42K is somewhat low, but if you dont hear anything in a week, you can file an appeal and have a second set of eyes put on your stats.
Thanks. Still nothing, or worse, a “congratulations” for my 1k status. Oh well. Sad thing is 100% of my flights are UA metal. No star alliance. Working against me is (1) “low” spend ($42k), (2) All domestic, and due to my company corporate travel policy, flights must be booked at lowest available fare (but not their new ultra restricted economy). Having said that, flying 210k PQMs, over 120 PQS is a lot of domestic flying. I’d think they would like to reward “loyalty”! Oh well. 1k isn’t bad, just would have liked GS for a change!
Jan 12, 2019, 10:22 am
#704
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 58
Has anyone read the Quartz article on United Global Services? Seems to be locked to non-subscribers.
Wondering if that had any details on qualifying stats....
Wondering if that had any details on qualifying stats....
Jan 12, 2019, 10:27 am
#705
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,621
I did not qualify after remarkable stats..pretty heartbroken I get to appeal to the United "judge".
231k PQMs (United Metal Intl with 95% of booking in Polaris Domestic/Intl)
61k PQD
87 PQS
If you are close with the airline or can nudge a 21 year old flying 400k miles in 2019, a team of 9 exclusively flying United and realistically make that an easier travel experience without going to JetSuiteX, please continue the Holiday season and PM me.
Update: I called the 1K desk and they appealed me. I'll know by the 15th with an email. If I'm still not accepted, there's a 2nd round of appeals where I proudly get to say I'm a large social media influencer (100m YouTube views monthly with over 4 billion views/20 million subscribers produced since my company's existence). If that doesn't work, I don't know what to do and they said my only large flight of 2018 ($13k in partner PQMs via Lufthansa - couldn't force client to book anything else, I always try to have them follow the United regime but travel agencies you know?) was a possible deterrent, however Dawn (United 1K Team Services) said things are looking good.
231k PQMs (United Metal Intl with 95% of booking in Polaris Domestic/Intl)
61k PQD
87 PQS
If you are close with the airline or can nudge a 21 year old flying 400k miles in 2019, a team of 9 exclusively flying United and realistically make that an easier travel experience without going to JetSuiteX, please continue the Holiday season and PM me.
Update: I called the 1K desk and they appealed me. I'll know by the 15th with an email. If I'm still not accepted, there's a 2nd round of appeals where I proudly get to say I'm a large social media influencer (100m YouTube views monthly with over 4 billion views/20 million subscribers produced since my company's existence). If that doesn't work, I don't know what to do and they said my only large flight of 2018 ($13k in partner PQMs via Lufthansa - couldn't force client to book anything else, I always try to have them follow the United regime but travel agencies you know?) was a possible deterrent, however Dawn (United 1K Team Services) said things are looking good.